- Hans Coper

- Scholten and Baijings

- Mark Rothko

Hans Coper

One of the most influential studio potters and a main pioneer of studio pottery in the 20th century, Hans Coper created work that was way ahead of its time. I find his work incredibly intriguing and mysterious with his unconventional approach to creating forms and his minimal use of colour . After throwing on the wheel, he would transform his pieces by altering the shape and adding other thrown pieces. The result was a body of work that pushed the boundaries of traditional ceramic forms and inspired a whole generation to redefine what form and shape could be. 

Scholten and Baijings

For me, this dutch design company has created a body of work that perfectly understands contemporary design aesthetics and has translated this into a diverse product range. They use colour in a playful and meaningful way to create objects that are eye catching and uplifting. I am drawn to Scandinavian design and how space is created with clean and simplistic lines, but enhanced with clever details of colour so the space never feels cold. Scholten and Baijings reflect that balance perfectly in creating functional and modern interior objects that continually redefine what Scandinavian design is. 

Mark Rothko

One of the most famous abstract expressionist painters of the 1960s, Rothko created vast canvases that explored new meaning in colour and the emotions it provokes inside of us. I find his work very inspirational in how he used colour as a tool to express moods and feelings that almost overwhelm the viewer, partly due to the scale of his work. Creating fields of colour that were bold and adventurous or subdued and reflective, colour became a language for artists and designers to build new meaning into their work. Rothko said himself  "If you are only moved by colour relationships, you are missing the point. I am interested in expressing the big emotions - tragedy, ecstasy, doom."